Thunder Tiger Mini Titan V2 Review

The Mini Titan V2 was released as an improvement to an already good flying helicopter. Kurt and Rob take a close look at the re-designed E325 and see how it assembles and performs against the others in it’s class.

Intro and Flight Footage

5X5 Review Scoring

Summary

Thunder Tiger has proven itself several times over with their Raptor line of helicopters. With the onset of the E325 a few years back, they established themselves again as a competitor in the 450 class of electric helicopters. The Mini Titan (E325) V2 promised several improvements over it’s predecessor.

Upon opening the box and starting the assembly, you realize that this is a nearly full kit with nothing done for you, so you’ll want to take your time and follow the directions carefully. The most critical element always being to make sure everything is “mechanically” balanced, meaning there is symmetry throughout. Equal measurement on both halves of all parts that are adjustable on the main rotor head will ensure vibration-free, smooth running.

For seasoned builders, things are machined perfectly. Nothing is out of alignment and the kit is built to perfection. The Mini Titan V2 was a blast to build and even more fun to fly. Upon liftoff, you’ll note the compact CG. The Mini Titan responds very well to low rate inputs and feels crisp, not mushy or soft. As with any helicopter, the tail performance is half machine, half electronics and the GY520 gyro from Futaba has proven itself among the pros. Rock solid heading hold and extremely consistent pirouettes give you a lot of confidence. The tail is always where you expect it to be coming out of maneuvers.

For beginners: This is a great first “larger” CP helicopter for those that have mastered mini FP single rotor forward flight. Don’t cheap out on the servos, gyro, or battery and you’ll be very, very pleased with the platform. You can learn just about everything with the Mini Titan V2, so when you’re ready to step up to a .50/E600 or bigger, you’ll be well prepared.

For 3D pilots: Upgrade to the torque tube option, run with a 45+ C main pack and the Mini Titan will snap to attention and dominate the class. You’ll really appreciate the compact centerline CG and how well it holds the line for a flybar machine in fast forward flight. The 4.4 gram paddles keep the head nice and nimble.

Hello: We used Futaba S3156 servos but we had to use a spacer to keep the bottom of the servo from hitting the main chassis. We snipped the tips off an unused 4 arm servo horn, drilled the holes out (first), and slid them in between the servo tabs and the mounts. They were the perfect size and a simple solution. Is that the problem you’re having – servo depth?

I’ve been flying helis for about a year now, co-ax to Blade 120sr to an Align 450Pro clone.

I built it, The clone has been bashed around for a summer, but I think I low-balled the components. Tail is unsteady, response from the head seems unpredictable – It’s been checked out by an experienced pilot…

Would this be an acceptable ‘advanced trainer’ or next step? No skimping on the radio gear this time : – )

Well, the 450 class CP helis are not really trainers. In fact, they require fast reflexes and intermediate flying skills to operate safely. The Mini Titan V2 is a performance helicopter with Align-class precision and quality so it’s going to fly very similiar to a T-Rex 450. There are some differences and there’s many pilots who like the compact CG, head response, and forward flight characteristics of the Mini Titan over the T-Rex, but that’s partly pilot preference and natural engineering evolution. For a typical intermediate helicopter pilot the difference between the two would be splitting hairs. If you’ve mastered fixed pitch flight with your 120SR, that a 450 class is your next step. Horizon also just released the Blade 450X which we’ll be reviewing in a couple weeks so we can let you know how it performs as well.

Finally YES. If you want to be serious about helicopters and advancing your skills, give yourself the benefit of the doubt and go with mid-level or higher radio components. No skimping. It’ll just impede your progression as pilot and wreck a lot of aircraft. Hope this helps!